Hampton



Patented Oct. 25, I898.

W. H. &. B. H. JONES.

GEAR CASE FOR CYCLES.

(Application filed Dec. 29, 1897.)

(No Model.)

Win aver- XZ/g/W @1131 @6? @044 WILLIAM HALL JONES AND BENJAMINHIGHFIELD JONES, OF VVOLVER HAMPTON, ENGLAND.

GEAR-CASE FOR CYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,152, dated October25, 1898.

Application filed December 29, 1897. Serial No. 664,415. (No model.)Patented in England Se t b 10.1896,N0. 19,990.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM HALL J ONES and BENJAMIN HIGHFIELD J ONES,subjects of the Queen of Great- Britain, residing at \Volverhampton, inthe county of Stanford, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Gear-Cases for Cycles, (for which a patent has beengranted in Great Britain, No. 19,990, dated September 10,1896,) of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of gearcases for cycles in whichthe main lengths of the portions of the driving-chain extending betweenthe sprocket wheels pass, respectively, through upper and lower tubeswhich join together the portions of the case which inclose thesprocket-wheels; and the special object of the invention is improvedmeans for enabling the case to be put in place upon the cycle, with thebackstay passing through the opening which is bounded by the upper andlower tubes and the two ends of the case, and to be readily removedtherefrom.

A gear-case constructed according to this invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is an elevation of theouter side of the case, showing the same closed up as when in positionupon a cycle. Fig. 2 is a similar view, but showing the ends of the caseopen to enable it to be placed in position upon or removed from a cycleand representing the U-piece, hereinafter described, as in the positionit assumes when being removed from the case or replaced therein. Fig. 3is a transverse section in the plane of the line a of Fig. 1, lookingtoward the forward end of the case, the portions beyond the plane beingomitted to avoid confusion. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan taken through themiddle of the U -pieee,hereinafter described.

A A are tubular members through which the upper and lower lengths of thedrivingchain pass. They extend between and connect the members of thecase, which respectively inclose and surround the sprocket-wheels. Theouter section B of the part of the case which surrounds the drivingsprocket-wheel is divided from the other section thereof, preferably ator about the vertical line passing through the center of the openingthrough which the driving-axle passes, and such other section 0 isintegral with or fixed to the tubular members A of the case. The sectionB is hinged at its lower edge to the lower edge of the section 0, sothat it may be opened out therefrom, as shown in Fig. 2, or may beclosed up thereagainst, as shown in Fig. 1, and when closed up it issecured in place by a screw 0b, which is passed for the purpose througha projecting tongue I) of the section B and is screwed into a nutsoldered on the inside of the section G. The hinder end D of the case isdivided from the tubular members A, and preferably in the mannershown-that is to say, in a manner which leaves the lower tubular memberconsiderably longer than the upperthis arrangement being permissible inconsequence of the lower tubular member not having to be passed acrossthe front edge of the upper backstay as the case is removed from orplaced upon the cycle. The member D is hinged at its lower edge to thelower edge of the hinder end of the lower tubular member, so that it maybe opened out, as shown in Fig. 2, or closed up, as shown in Fig. 1.lVhen the memberD is closed up, it may be held in such position by meansof a screw 0, which passes through the upward portion of an angle-pieced, fixed to the upper tubular member A, and is screwed into the upwardportion of a corresponding angle-piece d, fixed to the upper forwardedge'of the member D. A longitudinal guide e is fixed at each side ofthe exterior of the lower tubular member A, and a corresponding guide fis fixed to each outside face of the member D, and when the member D isclosed up,.as shown in Fig. 1, the guides f are parallel with the guidese. A U-piece E, which when the case is properly closed up in positioncovers in a portion of the forward side of the driven sprocketwheel, isformed with its two sides 9 of a depth which adapts them to be engagedwith the guides c f when the hinder end of the case is closed up, asshown in Fig. 1, and with its yoke 72. shaped to fit neatly between theupper and lower tubular members A, thus completely closing in theforward end of the space which is bounded by the two tubular members Aand the two sides g of the U- piece. When the hinder member D of thecase is closed up, the guides f are engaged with the upper edges of thesides 9 of the U- piece. The hinder edges of the U-piece are form edwith semicircular notches to fit around the forward side of the hindaxle and hub, respectively.

When the case is to be removed from a cycle, the ends B and D are openedout, as seen in Fig. 2. The driving-chain is then disconnected and thehind axle drawn back, so as to allow of the removal of the U-piece E.The U-piece is then moved into the position shown in Fig. 2, vand maythus be readily moved clear of the driven sprocket-Wheel and removedfrom the case. The hinder portion of the case may then be moved outsidewise clear of the cycle, and the forward portion of the case maythen be drawn awayfrom the driving sprocket-wheel, thus clearing theentire case from the cycle.

The hinder part of the case is conveniently fixed to the stay by meansof a yoke 'i, which is fixed to the tubular membersA of the case andpasses around the outside of the stay. A set-screw m is screwed throughthe crown of the yoke, and its inner end bears against the stay and thusdraws the outer face of the hinder end of the case against the framingof the cycle and holds it firmly thereagainst.

The section B and member D are displaceable, and it is not essential tothis invention how this is effected. One way of effecting it is byhinging them, as herein shown.

Plates lo of the ordinary character for the purpose may be carried inguides at the opposite sides of the memberD of the case to fit up aroundthe rear side of the hind axle and hub, respectively.

It will be noted that thegear-case herein described opens only at itsends and must be moved sidewise to the left in order to free it from thedriving sprocket-wheel.

By the term housing as herein used with reference to the members orparts B, D, and E is meant inclosing at both inner and outer faces.

Having thus described our invention, we claim 1.- A gear-case for acycle comprising two tubular members connected at their front ends by ahousing for the rear part of the driving sprocket-wheel, which housingis closed at its. front end by a displaceable section for housing thefront portion of the said sprocketwheel, and closed at their rear endsby displaceable parts which house substantially the whole of the drivensprocket-wheel, said displaceable parts comprising a member, D, whichhouses the upper, lower and rear portions of said wheel, and a piece ormember, E, which houses the front portion of said wheel, whereby, whenthese parts are displaced the gear-case may be moved laterally at itsrear end for disengaging it from the driven sprocket-wheel.

2. A gear-case for a cycle, comprising two tubular members for the chainconnected together at their front ends, a displaceable member D, whichhouses the upper, lower and rear portions of the driven sprocket- Wheel,and a U-shaped housing E, between the said tubular members and housingthe front portion of the driven sprocket-wheel, whereby when the membersD and E are displaced the whole of the driven sprocketwheel is exposed,for the purpose specified.

3. In a gear-case for a cycle, the combina tion with the two tubularmembers for housing the chain, connected together at their front ends,of a displaceable rear member D, which closes the rear ends of the saidtubular members and houses the upper, lower and rear parts of the drivensprocket-wheel, and the displaceable piece E, having a U shape and aform to fit about said tubular members and overlap the member D, saidpiece or member E housing the front portion of the drivensprocket-Wheel, substantially as set forth.

4. In a gear-case for a cycle, the combination with the two tubularmembers A, connected by the half-housing O for the drivingsprocket-wheel, the displaceable section B, which houses the front halfof the said sprocket-wheel, the displaceable member D, which closes therear ends of the tubular members A and incloses the upper, lower andrear portions of the driven sprocketwheel, and the displaceable U-shapedmember E, which houses the front portion of the driven sprocket-wheel,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof we have hereunto signed our names in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

WVILLIAM HALL JONES. BENJAMIN I-IIGHFIELD JONES.

Witnesses:

STEPHEN WATKINS, ROBERT M. LISTER.

